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With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas fast approaching, it's the time of the year to kick the holiday season into high gear.

What better way to start than with the arrival of the Capitol Christmas tree? This year's tree is an 85-foot blue spruce from the Grand Canyon State -- Arizona.

The tree will be adorned with more than 10,000 handcrafted ornaments. Kindergarten through 12th-grade students made the special ornaments. Many of the ornaments submitted are eco-sensitive and made from recycled materials, which are hoped to be able to withstand the D.C.'s harsh December weather.

Each year, the tree is selected from a national forest from around the country. The tradition of the Capitol tree is honorary and historic and started in 1964.

Eighty smaller companion trees were also donated from the state of Arizona and will be displayed at various federal agencies and offices.